1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the recovery of new and unused oil from small containers and in particular to a standing apparatus for the recovery of oil from multiple containers simultaneously.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most common manner of sale for retail and wholesale motor oil today is by the quart or liter. The product is supplied in plastic containers containing measured amounts allowing consumers to follow vehicle specifications without the need for special measuring equipment. The typical vehicle requires four or five quarts of motor oil to refill the oil reservoir when the oil is drained and changed. With each container there remains a small quantity of residual oil that clings to the walls of the container and which will, after a period of time drain from an inverted container. The problem is the time required to drain the residual oil is not cost effective in terms of the quantity recovered per individual quart. However, in terms of the gross quantity of oil recovered in a shop or garage where a large number of oil changes take place every day the recovery is worthwhile. The recovery is also worthwhile in terms of oil diverted from land fills. Although a teaspoon of oil in a land fill is insignificant, that quantity of oil times hundreds of containers deposited daily is significant. In the case of plastic recycling, the oil within a container will sometimes rule out a container for remanufacture.
There have been some devices to aid and assist in the effort for oil recovery, however these devices generally are limited to the recovery of oil from a single oil change of five to six quarts and are otherwise large and inconvenient to use in a shop or garage. Currently there is no known device that will accept a quantity of quart or liter containers and recover residual oil over a period of time and that is also adapted to receive containers with center spouts or offset spouts.
Examples of prior art devices are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,268 issued Dec. 30, 1986 to Melzi et al. for a disposable oil drain pan and container combination which collects and stores, for removal, used oil; U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,081 issued Jun. 16, 1987 to Habig et al. who show an alternative type of waste oil drain collector and storage container kit; U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,959 issued Dec. 8, 1992 to Davis for an oil receiving container which is comprised of a box-like container with apertures in the top for receiving the spout of a new oil container, where the residue drops into the container, is stored and then evacuated for use as needed, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,534 issued Jun. 29, 1993 to Wilkinson, Jr. for a container restraint that provides a means for filling containers such as the quart or liter oil container in a non manufacturing situation.
The prior art taken alone or in combination fails to anticipate the invention disclosed and claimed herein.